„Goldgrube“ aus 100 Jahre alter Weizensammlung könnte zur Ernährung der Welt beitragen | Forscher fanden heraus, dass über 60 % der genetischen Vielfalt einer historischen Weizensammlung ungenutzt bleibt. Dies bietet die Möglichkeit, moderne Weizensorten zu verbessern und so zur nachhaltigen Ernährung der wachsenden Weltbevölkerung beizutragen.
https://www.theguardian.com/science/article/2024/jul/14/goldmine-collection-of-wheat-from-100-years-ago-may-help-feed-the-world-scientists-say
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From the article: A hundred years ago, the plant scientist Arthur Watkins launched a remarkable project. He began collecting samples of wheat from all over the globe, nagging consuls and business agents across the British empire and beyond to supply him with grain from local markets.
His persistence was exceptional and, a century later, it is about to reap dramatic results. A UK-Chinese collaboration has sequenced the DNA of all the 827 kinds of wheat, assembled by Watkins, that have been nurtured at the John Innes Centre near Norwich for most of the past century.
In doing so, scientists have created a genetic goldmine by pinpointing previously unknown genes that are now being used to create hardy varieties with improved yields that could help feed Earth’s swelling population.
Strains are now being [developed](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07682-9) that include wheat which is able to grow in salty soil, while researchers at Punjab Agricultural University are working to improve disease resistance from seeds that they received from the John Innes Centre. Other strains include those that would reduce the need for nitrogen fertilisers, the manufacture of which is a major source of carbon emissions.
“Essentially we have uncovered a goldmine,” said Simon Griffiths, a geneticist at the John Innes Centre and one of the project’s leaders.
“This is going to make an enormous difference to our ability to feed the world as it gets hotter and agriculture comes under increasing climatic strain.”
Today, one in five calories consumed by humans come from wheat, and every year the crop is eaten by more and more people as the world’s population continues to grow.
“Wheat has been a cornerstone of human civilisation,” added Griffiths. “In regions such as Europe, north Africa, large parts of Asia, and subsequently North America, its cultivation fed great empires, from ancient Egypt’s to the growth of modern Britain.”
The coolest bit of this story (which you should read) is this: “Crucially, Watkins had realised that, as we began breeding new wheat varieties, genes that were then thought to be of little use and which were being deleted from strains might still have future value,” said Griffiths.
“His thinking was incredibly ahead of its time. He realised that genetic diversity – in this case, of wheat – was being eroded and that we badly needed to halt that.“
So basically the guy who collected this wheat, Arthur Watkins, managed to send a scientific time capsule 100 years into the future where it is now doing what he predicted it would be needed to do. That’s amazing.
This is awesome! Shows how brilliant people can change the world. Even long after they live
We’re running out of topsoil; that’s far more important.
Can they make one that has no gluten but is as cheap and tasty are regular what flour?
Soo… these gene will stop capitalists from throwing away perfectly good food so they can keep prices higher? It’s not that we can’t GROW enough food. The problem is that all food is owned by capitalists that use the food as an investment. If they are not going to make the money they want, then the food is left to rot.
I am sick of all these „big breakthroughs“ and technologies that don’t take into account the ACTUAL root cause of our problems. Greedy people own everything they can, and we all suffer because of it. No „technology“ will ever fix that.
Reminds me of the seed vault from wartime in Leningrad. Folks DIED starving to protect it. They didn’t eat a single grain. Talk about being dedicated to a passion to save humanity!
Soil is not actually “lost”, it is actually broken through poor practises. If you have dirt, plus energy and effort, from continually sustainable practises, you can regrow soil.
My gardening practise is doing that continually, good principles of composting, planting, water management, and intelligent (free of artificial chemicals) management can quite quickly create very productive soil. I have been gardening my own food for more than sixty years.
They’ll monetize that. I come to realize if you don’t grow it or create it yourself, you’re liable to be screwed.
Fuck! I can’t so I have to find ways to be less screwed 🤦🏾♂️
Exceptional forethought. Too bad a Nobel cannot be given posthumously.